Paper feeding device

ABSTRACT

A paper feeding device includes a supporting base and a paper arranging module. The supporting base has a supporting surface, an inclined supporting plane and a slot at the supporting surface. The paper arranging module includes a pivot structure fixed under the supporting surface, a paper-pushing structure pivoted to the pivot structure, an elastic element connected between the paper-pushing structure and a fixed end, and a cam disposed on the pivot structure. When a first supporting part of the cam corresponds to the paper-pushing structure causing the paper-pushing structure to be driven by the elastic element, the paper-pushing structure moves toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot to arrange the paper on the supporting base, thereby facilitating subsequent paper dividing. When a second supporting part of the cam corresponds to the paper-pushing structure, the paper-pushing structure is returned to an original position by a driving force of the cam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a paper feeding device and more particularly, to a paper feeding device suitable for a multi-function peripheral.

2. Description of Related Art

With the advent of the information era, offices are often set up with office automation equipment such as scanners, photocopiers, or printers for users to perform paper work operations through such office automation equipment. When disposed in an office, the aforesaid various kinds of office automation equipment occupy a great deal of space. As a result, a multi-function peripheral (MFP) integrated with functions such as copying, printing, and scanning is developed to resolve the above problem.

A user often puts a stack of paper in the MFP for copying, printing, and scanning. In order for the MFP to pick up one sheet of paper for operation at a time, a paper dividing element is usually disposed in a paper feeding module. A method of dividing paper is to take advantage of the buckling of the paper to pick up the paper. For example, the paper is buckled by friction provided by the paper dividing element formed of a friction pad or a saw-tooth structure. However, the paper dividing method has a certain operation limitation. That is, the paper has to be in a particular range of angles relative to the paper dividing element for the paper to be effectively divided. In other words, if the paper is not arranged to be at a certain angle with the paper dividing element before dividing the paper, the probability of successfully feeding the paper sheet by sheet is lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a paper feeding device for arranging the paper.

The present invention provides a paper feeding device suitable for a multi-function peripheral (MFP). The paper feeding device includes a supporting base, a feeding element, a paper dividing element, and a paper arranging module. The supporting base is for carrying a plurality of sheets of paper and has a supporting surface, an inclined supporting plane extending upward from one end of the supporting surface, and a slot on the supporting surface. The feeding element is disposed on the inclined supporting plane and drives the paper to move from the inclined supporting plane to the supporting surface. The paper dividing element is disposed on the supporting surface to divide the paper, wherein the slot is located between the paper dividing element and the inclined supporting element. The paper arranging module includes a pivot structure, a paper-pushing structure, an elastic element, and a cam. The pivot structure is fixed on the supporting base and under the supporting surface. The paper-pushing structure is pivoted to the pivot structure. The elastic element is connected between the paper-pushing structure and a fixed end. The cam is disposed on the pivot structure and supports against the paper-pushing structure, wherein the cam has a first supporting part and a second supporting part. When the cam rotates till the first supporting part supports against the paper-pushing structure, the paper-pushing structure rotates in correspondence to the pivot structure when being driven by the elastic force of the elastic element so that part of the paper-pushing structure extends from the slot to above the supporting surface and moves toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot to push the paper to the inclined supporting plane. When the cam rotates till the second supporting part supports against the paper-pushing structure and resists the elastic force of the elastic element so as to drive the paper-pushing structure to rotate in correspondence to the pivot structure, the part of the paper-pushing structure extending to above the supporting surface moves away from the inclined supporting plane and to under the supporting surface.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned paper dividing element is a friction pad.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned paper dividing element is a saw-tooth structure.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned feeding element is a roller.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned elastic element is a spring.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned cam further includes a third supporting part. When the cam rotates till the third supporting part supports against the paper-pushing structure and resists the elastic force of the elastic element so as to drive the paper-pushing structure, part of the paper-pushing structure extends from the slot to above the supporting surface and moves toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot so as to be positioned at a particular location on the supporting surface.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned paper-pushing structure includes a rod and a paper-pushing element. The rod is pivoted to the pivot structure and has an extending part supporting against the cam. The paper-pushing element is connected to the rod and corresponds to the slot for pushing the paper.

In light of the above, when the cam of the present invention uses the first supporting part to support against the paper-pushing structure, the elastic element connected between the paper-pushing structure and the fixed end drives the paper-pushing structure to move toward the inclined supporting plane by an elastic force of the elastic element so as to perform paper arrangement. When the cam uses the second supporting part to support against the paper-pushing structure, the cam drives the paper-pushing structure to return to an original position so that the paper is driven by the feeding element to move toward the supporting surface to be divided. The arranged paper is divided by the paper dividing element and as such, the probability of successfully feeding the paper sheet by sheet is increased.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a paper feeding device according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural perspective view of the paper feeding device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are operational flow charts of a paper arranging module in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are perspective views of the paper feeding devices in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a paper feeding device according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a structural perspective view of the paper feeding device in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a paper feeding device 100 of the present embodiment is applicable in a MFP (not shown). The paper feeding device 100 includes a supporting base 110, a feeding element 120 (illustrated in FIG. 2), a paper dividing element 130, and a paper arranging module 140. The supporting base 110 is for carrying a plurality of sheets of paper 50 (illustrated in FIG. 2) and has a supporting surface 112, an inclined supporting plane 114 extending upward from one end of the supporting surface 112, and at least a slot 116 (three is shown) on the supporting surface 112. In the present embodiment, the feeding element 120 is a roller, for example.

The feeding element 120 is disposed on the inclined supporting plane 114 and drives the paper 50 to move from the inclined supporting plane 114 to the supporting surface 112. The paper dividing element 130 is disposed on the supporting surface 112 to divide the paper 50. The paper arranging module 140 includes a pivot structure 142, a paper-pushing structure 144, an elastic element 146, and a cam 148. The pivot structure 142 is fixed on the supporting base 110 and under the supporting surface 112. The paper-pushing structure 144 is pivoted to the pivot structure 142. The elastic element 146 is connected between the paper-pushing structure 144 and a fixed end E (in the present embodiment, the fixed end E is a structure fixed to the supporting base 110, for example). The cam 148 is disposed on the pivot structure 142 and supports against the paper-pushing structure 144, wherein the cam 148 has a first supporting part 148 a and a second supporting part 148 b.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are operational flow charts of a paper arranging module in FIG. 2. FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are perspective views of the paper feeding devices in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, respectively. Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 4A, when the cam 148 rotates in a direction R1 till the first supporting part 148 a supports against the paper-pushing structure 144, the paper-pushing structure 144 rotates in a direction R2 in correspondence to the pivot structure 142 when being driven by the elastic force of the elastic element 146 so that part of the paper-pushing structure 144 extends from the slot 116 to above the supporting surface 112 and moves toward the inclined supporting plane 114 in a direction D1 to push the paper 50 to the inclined supporting plane 114. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, when the cam 148 rotates in a direction R3 till the second supporting part 148 b supports against the paper-pushing structure 144 and resists the elastic force of the elastic element 146 so as to drive the paper-pushing structure 144 to rotate in a direction R4 in correspondence to the pivot structure 142, the part of the paper-pushing structure 144 extending to above the supporting surface 112 moves away from the inclined supporting plane 114 in a direction D2 and to under the supporting surface 112. In the present embodiment, the elastic element 146 is a spring, for example.

In other words, when the cam 148 uses the first supporting part 148 a to support against the paper-pushing structure 144, the elastic element 146 connected between the paper-pushing structure 144 and the fixed end E drives the paper-pushing structure 144 to move toward the inclined supporting plane 114 by an elastic force of the elastic element 146 so as to perform arrangement on the paper 50. When the cam 148 uses the second supporting part 148 b to support against the paper-pushing structure 144, the cam 148 drives the paper-pushing structure 144 to return to an original position so that the paper 50 is driven by the feeding element 120 to move toward the supporting surface 112 to be divided. In the present embodiment, the paper dividing element 130 is a friction pad or a saw-tooth structure, for example, so that one sheet of the paper 50 is buckled by friction and thus the paper is fed sheet by sheet.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in detail, the paper-pushing structure 144 includes a rod 144 a and at least a paper-pushing element 144 b (three are shown). The rod 144 a is pivoted to the pivot structure 142 and has an extending part T supporting against the cam 148. The paper-pushing elements 144 b respectively corresponds to the slots 116 (as illustrated in FIG. 1) and is used for pushing the paper 50.

Referring to FIG. 3B and FIG. 4B, in the present embodiment, the cam 148 further includes a third supporting part 148 c. When the cam 148 rotates in the direction R3 till the third supporting part 148 c supports against the paper-pushing structure 144 and resists the elastic force of the elastic element 146 so as to drive the paper-pushing structure 144, the paper-pushing element 144 b extends from the slot 116 to above the supporting surface 112 and moves in the direction D1 toward the inclined supporting plane 114 so as to be positioned at a particular location on the supporting surface 112. The paper-pushing element 144 b positioned at a particular location on the supporting surface 112, by blocking the paper 50, prevents the paper 50 from going directly over the slot 116 when the user sets the paper 50 on the supporting base 110, causing that the paper-pushing element 144 b can not actually perform arrangement on the paper 50.

In light of the above, when the cam of the present invention uses the first supporting part to support against the paper-pushing structure, the elastic element connected between the paper-pushing structure and the fixed end drives the paper-pushing structure to move toward the inclined supporting plane by an elastic force of the elastic element so as to perform paper arrangement. When the cam uses the second supporting part to support against the paper-pushing structure, the cam drives the paper-pushing structure to return to an original position so that the paper is driven by the feeding element to move toward the supporting surface to be divided. The arranged paper is divided by the paper dividing element and as such, the probability of successfully feeding the paper sheet by sheet is increased. In addition, the paper-pushing structure is positioned at a particular location on the supporting surface to properly limit a moving range of the paper so that the paper-pushing structure can actually arrange the paper.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions. 

1. A paper feeding device for an image formation apparatus, the paper feeding device comprising: a supporting base for carrying a plurality of sheets of paper and having a supporting surface, an inclined supporting plane extending upward from one end of the supporting surface, and a slot on the supporting surface; a feeding element disposed on the inclined supporting plane and driving the paper to move from the inclined supporting plane to the supporting surface; a paper dividing element disposed on the supporting surface to divide the paper; a paper arranging module, comprising: a pivot structure fixed on the supporting base and under the supporting surface; a paper-pushing structure pivoted to the pivot structure; an elastic element connected between the paper-pushing structure and a fixed end; and a cam disposed on the pivot structure and supporting against the paper-pushing structure, wherein the cam has a first supporting part and a second supporting part, when the cam rotates till the first supporting part supports against the paper-pushing structure, the paper-pushing structure rotates in correspondence to the pivot structure when being driven by the elastic force of the elastic element so that part of the paper-pushing structure extends from the slot to above the supporting surface and moves toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot to push the paper to the inclined supporting plane, and when the cam rotates till the second supporting part supports against the paper-pushing structure and resists the elastic force of the elastic element so as to drive the paper-pushing structure to rotate in correspondence to the pivot structure, the part of the paper-pushing structure extending to above the supporting surface moves away from the inclined supporting plane and to under the supporting surface.
 2. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the paper dividing element is a friction pad.
 3. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the paper dividing element is a saw-tooth structure.
 4. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding element is a roller.
 5. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a spring.
 6. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the cam further comprises a third supporting part, and when the cam rotates till the third supporting part supports against the paper-pushing structure and resists the elastic force of the elastic element so as to drive the paper-pushing structure, part of the paper-pushing structure extends from the slot to above the supporting surface and moves toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot so as to be positioned at a particular location on the supporting surface.
 7. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the paper-pushing structure comprises: a rod pivoted to the pivot structure and having an extending part supporting against the cam; and a paper-pushing element connected to the rod and corresponding to the slot for pushing the paper. 